Bali to KL

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We diddled around for a while before our lift to the airport (negotiated with a driver at the entrance to the hotel, as the hotel didn't seem to have a record of our booking, and saved over £1 - happy days!), had our nails done and bought our standard travel snacks (cheesy ritz crackers) with the last of our rupiah. Then went back to the air-conditioned splendour of our room. The staff obviously wanted to clean but we stuck it out! We were very pleased to have got down to our last 50,000 rupiah. Oh dear - big mistake!

TRAVEL INFORMATION - there is a departure tax of 150,000 - in my far-reaching travel research I missed this vital fact. We found out once we'd been through security and spotted a pay desk. Sam wondered if we could just walk passed it and not pay. We couldn't. Nor did they take credit cards. Left Sam reading her kindle, exited, walked miles, down to Departures in the lift, outside to the ATMs, took out the equivalent of £15, paying £3 in credit card cash fee, back inside, through security again and paid. Sam asked how long this tax had been in force, airport official wordlessly pointed to a sign. Since 1964, it said.......

Easy 3 hour flight to KL, and we had paid for the Airasia skybus service when we booked our flight - bargain at £1.27 each for one way. You just show your invoice with it on, otherwise you can pay on the bus. We hung around until it was more or less full, then the journey was about an hour. I more or less knew where the hotel was, vaguely, from the last time I was here, and we could see it as we walked out of the station. Took about 5 minutes to walk, during which time the handle of Sam's bargain Boscombe market travelbag became detached from the actual bag! We are at the Hotel Sentral, a business hotel, £25 a night, great views from the 13th floor and will be very convenient for going back to the airport on Friday.

So feeling more than peckish we went out to try one of the Chinese cafeteria-style eateries (rather than risk Indian and possibly ruin our sightseeing tomorrow). The food was fine, and then we discovered the true nature of the area. Went to buy water in the minimarket opposite and walked past a few open doorways illuminated by a pleasant rosy glow and then spotted a few scantily-clad girls inside. Yet again we have inadvertently ended up staying in Brothel Street.

Alarm set for 6 so we can have breakfast before trying for tickets to go up the Towers. Hope we are successful!

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